your 2018 personal planning guide

tips, tools, and inspiration to help you plan your best year ever

Your 2018 Personal Planning Guide

— Presented by The Salvation Army —

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Welcome to Your 2018 Personal Planning GuideThis is where you discover how to have your best year yet. You’ll see easy ways to organize, plan, and achieve your goals for the year while you partner with The Salvation Army to do good.

Planning and Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Personal Enrichment Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Professional Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Financial Goals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Organize Your Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Save Your Website Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Keep Phone Numbers Handy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Charitable Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Declutter and Donate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Become a Sustaining Donor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Create Your Legacy With a Gift Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Other Ways to Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

About The Salvation Army . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Monthly Planning Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Table of Contents

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Professional GOALS

Financial GOALS

Personal GOALS

Planning and TipsMap out what you’d like to accomplish in 2018. Often the simple act of writing your goals down will start you on the path of achieving them.

J F M A M J J A S O N D

YOUR BEST YEAR



Planning and Tips

Personal Enrichment GoalsDo you want to read more, start exercising, take a class? Here’s where you lay out your personal plans for the year.List your goals here:



Professional GoalsIf it’s time for a second career or a new job or even a complete reinvention, it starts with identifying what’s important for you. List your goals below:

Planning and Tips



Financial GoalsStart saving for retirement, investing smarter, or simply growing your bank account. Make a pact with yourself to get financially fit. List your goals below:

Planning and Tips



¨ Wills

¨ Birth certificates

¨ Marriage certificates

¨ Deeds

¨ Bank books

¨ Stock certificates

¨ Military discharge papers

¨ Social security cards

¨ Tax forms

¨ Vehicle and boat titles

¨ Insurance policies

¨ _________________

¨ _________________

¨ _________________

Organize Your DocumentsIt’s a good idea to have all your important papers in one place. Use this checklist to collect, organize, and store these essential documents:



Save Your Website PasswordsKeep your online account information safe and secure with an up-to-date list of your usernames and passwords. List your information below:

Organize Your Documents

WEBSITE USERNAME PASSWORD



Keep Phone Numbers HandyPut your important phone numbers in one place so you know where to find them when you need them.

Police DepartmentName: __________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________

Emergency Phone Number: _________________________________________

Non-emergency Phone Number: _____________________________________

Fire DepartmentName: __________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________



HospitalName: __________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________



Family DoctorName: __________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________



Other Emergency AgencyName: __________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________________

Phone Number: __________________________________________________




Charitable PlanningYou know that living a good life means helping others. So, here’s the opportunity to map out how you’ll do good in the upcoming year.

Declutterand

Donate

Become a Sustaining

Donor

Create Your Legacy With a Gift Plan

Other Ways to Help



Charitable Planning

Declutter and DonateAdmit it — most of us just have too much stuff. Decluttering will reduce stress and help you be more organized, while donating items that others can use is a great way to help people in need.

To learn more about donating items to The Salvation Army, visit satruck.org

Here are five easy tips for reducing clutter in your home:

Start small. Instead of tackling your whole house at once, pick something manageable — say, a shelf, a desk, or a small cupboard. Start there, and then go after bigger projects.

In and out. Make it your policy that if you buy something new then you donate the thing it’s replacing or some other item. This way you can keep clutter from coming back.

Set a time limit. Decide in advance how long you’ll spend decluttering. The idea is to block off a manageable amount of time so you feel a sense of accomplishment afterwards.

Donate. Keep a bag or a location to put clothing or other items that you don’t need but are in good enough condition to donate.

Make it simple. When deciding what to get rid of, simply ask yourself if you’d miss it. If the answer is yes, keep it. If the answer is maybe or no, then donate it if it’s in good condition.


https://satruck.org


As a sustaining donor with The Salvation Army, you: Take control of your giving. You say how much you give and how often you give, and your preferences are honored.

Receive less mail and requests asking for donations.

Learn about our Annual Christmas Campaign — a long-standing tradition supported by millions of Americans.

Discover how your gifts are changing lives through periodic newsletters.

Get convenient reminders for your planned donations.

Ensure all the good The Salvation Army does in the community.

Enjoy greater impact from your giving.

What’s more, when you’re a sustaining donor, The Salvation Army pledges to: Protect your privacy by never selling, renting, or making available your name or information related to your gifts to any other organization.

Provide you proof that your generosity is “Doing the Most Good” to bring hope to your world and to individual lives.

Give you a quick response to any question you have about The Salvation Army’s finances and programs.

Welcome you to visit our offices and meet personally with a Salvation Army representative.

Honor your wishes when you tell us your giving preferences. You’ll get fewer requests asking for donations, which helps reduce our administrative costs so we have more funds to help people.

Become a Sustaining DonorThink about becoming a sustaining donor with The Salvation Army. A sustaining donor makes the commitment to give a certain amount on a regular basis throughout the year.

Please contact your local office to learn more about becoming a sustaining donor with The Salvation Army. To find your local Salvation Army, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org/usn/locate

Charitable Planning


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http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/plugins/gdosCenterSearch?start=1


Create Your Legacy With a Gift Plan The Salvation Army has many financial planning options to help you plan your estate and create your legacy of compassion for people in need. Our gift planning staff are professionals with charitable gift experience in gift planning who care about your goals and plans. They will work with your attorney or accountant to explain the many gift opportunities available to you and their financial advantages.

Types of GiftsGift plans take many forms, providing additional income for you and/or your heirs, reducing income, capital gains, gift and estate taxes, relieving you and your heirs of complicated financial management responsibilities, and helping to fulfill your personal, humanitarian, and charitable objectives.

Some opportunities you can choose from: Bequests by will. One of the simplest planned gifts is a bequest through your will in which you designate either a specific dollar amount or a percentage of your estate after other disbursements.

Beneficiary designations. Name The Salvation Army as a remainder beneficiary of your revocable trust, financial accounts, or a transfer on death of real property deed (for those states where allowed).

Charitable remainder trusts. A charitable trust to provide income for beneficiaries you designate for their lifetimes and then to The Salvation Army.

Pooled Income Fund. A pooled income fund is similar in many respects to a charitable remainder trust. Pooled income funds are professionally managed and a way to convert appreciated assets into income while minimizing capital gains tax.

Gift annuities. A gift annuity is an agreement between you and The Salvation Army. In exchange for your irrevocable gift, The Salvation Army pays a fixed dollar amount during your life and/or the life of a designated loved one.

Life insurance. Contributions of life insurance can provide a substantial gift to The Salvation Army.

Hometown endowment. A hometown endowment is a perpetual gift that can be designated for a specific Salvation Army location or program.

To learn more about planned giving, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org

Charitable Planning




Other Ways to HelpThe Salvation Army has many opportunities for you to help your neighbors in need.

Volunteer

Not all gifts are financial. Often the best gift you can give is your time, talents, and energy.

Almost 3.3 million people of all ages volunteered their time, talents, and resources to assist The Salvation Army’s work. Our volunteers are critical partners in helping us fulfill our promise to America of “Doing the Most Good.”

To find out more about volunteering with The Salvation Army, including your nearest Salvation Army location. Visit SalvationArmyUSA.org/usn/volunteer

Give a Tribute Gift

You can give a gift for The Salvation Army in honor of or in memory of someone special to you. This could be a parent, grandparent, spouse, child, friend — anyone you’d like to show your appreciation for.

Making this special gift will forever connect you and your loved one with the wonderful work of The Salvation Army. It’s a bond you’ll always have.

To give this gift, visit give.SalvationArmyUSA.org

Charitable Planning


http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/volunteer/

https://give.salvationarmyusa.org/site/SPageNavigator/national_memorial_form.html


About The Salvation ArmyEvery program we offer is rooted in our passion to serve God by serving the lost, the vulnerable, the needy, the poor, the hurting, the helpless, and the hopeless.

At The Salvation Army, we are dedicated to “Doing the Most Good.” We meet human needs without discrimination. We assist approximately 25 million Americans annually. We serve in 127 countries across the globe. We have over 1.5 million members consisting of officers, soldiers, and adherents. When you donate, your gift is put to use in your community. What’s more, 82 cents of every $1* goes to The Salvation Army to help support our mission. And we’ve been pursing our mission since 1865.

*Based on the national average.

To learn more about The Salvation Army, our history, our ministries, our people, or how your gifts are used locally, please visit SalvationArmyUSA.org/usn/about


http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/about/


SalvationArmyUSA.org


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January 2018“Caring about the happiness of others, we find our own .”

— Plato

TIP OF THE MONTH: Make your resolutions now to have your best year yet.

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FEBRuary 2018“I must go, not only to those who need me, but to those who need me most .”

— William Booth, Founder of The Salvation Army

TIP OF THE MONTH: Consider becoming a Salvation Army sustaining donor.

• New Year’s Day

• Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

• Presidents Day

• Ash Wednesday• Valentine’s Day

• Groundhog Day







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March 2018“Anyone who does anything to help a child is a hero to me .”

— Fred Rogers

TIP OF THE MONTH: Take time to celebrate Easter, and reflect on what this holiday means to you.

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April 2018“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you .”

— John 14:27

TIP OF THE MONTH: With spring in full swing, make time to get outdoors and enjoy the weather.

• Daylight Saving Time Begins

• Palm Sunday• Maundy

Thursday• First Day

of Passover• Good Friday

• First Day of Spring

• St. Patrick’s Day

• Easter

• William Booth’s Birthday (Founder of The Salvation Army)







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may 2018“Those who are happiest are those who do the most for others .”

— Booker T . Washington

TIP OF THE MONTH: Consider volunteering with The Salvation Army.

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june 2018“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted .”

— Aesop

TIP OF THE MONTH: Make a gift in honor of a loved one’s birthday!

• Mother’s Day • National Salvation Army Week (14th - 20th)

• Cinco De Mayo

• Memorial Day

• First Day of Summer

• Flag Day

• Father’s Day

• National Donut Day

• D-Day Anniversary







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JULY 2018“Our greatest natural resource is the minds of our children .”

— Walt Disney

TIP OF THE MONTH: Enjoy a summer vacation. Everyone needs a break.

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AUGUST 2018“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another .”

— Charles Dickens

TIP OF THE MONTH: Stay hydrated during the heat of the summer.

• Independence Day







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SEPTEMBER 2018“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show compassion and the will to help others .”

— Albert Schweitzer

TIP OF THE MONTH: It’s back-to-school time. Give to your Salvation Army to help kids in need!

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OCTOBER 2018“In helping others, we shall help ourselves, for whatever good we give out completes the circle and comes back to us .”

— Flora Edwards

TIP OF THE MONTH: Take some time to think about estate planning and a legacy gift for The Salvation Army.

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• Labor Day

• Yom Kippur• First Day

of Fall

• Halloween

• Columbus Day







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NOVEMBER 2018“Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life .”

— Catherine Pulsifer

TIP OF THE MONTH: With the holidays coming, now’s the time to start planning your celebrations.

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DECEMBER 2018“It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you .”

— Mother Teresa

TIP OF THE MONTH: Enjoy family and friends at this wonderful holiday season!

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• Daylight Saving Time Ends

• Veterans Day

• Election Day

• Thanksgiving Day

• First Day of Winter

• New Year’s Eve • Christmas Day

• Christmas Eve

• First Day of Chanukah

• Last Day of Chanukah

• Pearl Harbor Rememberance Day





salvationarmyusa.org

“Doing the Most Good.” These four words reflect The Salvation Army’s mission to feed, to clothe, to comfort, to care. The Salvation Army operates 7,546 centers in communities across

the United States offering a range of social services as well as disaster relief and recovery. Your generous support makes this vital work possible.

SOURCES: johnmoakey.com/Gathering-the-Important-Documents.html express.co.uk/life-style/life/759039/top-10-tips-for-decluttering-your-home-and-expert-advice-on-keeping-it-tidy salvationarmyusa.org/usn/about



http://www.johnmoakey.com/Gathering-the-Important-Documents.html

http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/759039/top-10-tips-for-decluttering-your-home-and-expert-advice-on-keeping-it-tidy
